SELF-CONTROL 531time, and he did it. Shakespeare desired to become a great playwright,
and, despite the fact that he was only a poor itinerant actor, he made
his desire come true. Billy Sunday desired to quit playing baseball and
become a master preacher, and he did. James J. Hill desired to become an
empire builder, and, despite the fact that he was only a poor telegraph
operator, he transformed that desire into reality.
COMMENTARY
Charles Lindbergh flew across the Atlantic, Gandhi led India to independence,
Martin Luther King Jr. galvanized the civil rights movement, Mary Kay Ash built a
business empire for women, Sam Walton became the richest man in America,
Jackie Joyner-Kersee won a string of Olympic gold medals, and no doubt anyone
reading this could add the names of other men and women that would go on for
pages-and al/ of them had a definite chief aim that they desired strongly enough
to make it a reality.Don't say it can't be done, or that you are different from these and
thousands of others who have achieved noteworthy success in every
worthy calling. If you are "different" it is only in this respect: they desired
the object oj their achievement with more depth and intensity than you desire yours.
Plant in your mind the seed of a desire that is constructive, by mak-
ing the following your creed and the foundation of your code of ethics.I wish to be of service to others as I journey through life. To
do this I have adopted this creed as a guide to be followed in
dealing with my fellow beings:
To train myself so that never, under any circumstances,
will I find fault with any person, no matter how much I may
disagree with them or how inferior their work may be, as long
as I know they are sincerely trying to do their best.
To respect my country, my profession, and myself. To
be honest and fair with others, as I expect them to be honest